Canucks at Oilers, G48 2024-25

Leon Draisaitl’s scouting report had some downbeat verbal. The man worked hard after draft day to iron those issues out of his game, and to add things that were not abundantly clear on the day Craig MacTavish called his name (the shot is a monster, as an example). To build a Stanley Cup champion, it takes a village. Is everyone comfortable giving credit where due?

The Athletic article today is about John Klingberg and his fascinating past, with an eye to the future. It is here.

WHAT TO EXPECT IN JANUARY

• At home to: ANA (Expected 1-0-0) (Actual 1-0-0)
• On the road to: SEA, BOS, PIT, CHI (Expected 2-1-1) (Actual 3-1-0)
• At home to: LAK (Expected 1-0-0) (Actual 1-0-0)
• On the road to: MIN, COL, VAN (Expected 1-1-1) (Actual 2-1-0)
• At home to: WAS, VAN, BUF, SEA, DET (Expected 3-2-0) (Actual 0-1-0)
• Overall expected results: 8-4-2, 18 points in 14 games
• January result: 7-3-0
• Oilers in 2024-25: 29-15-3, 61 points in 47 games

This could be a circus depending on how the stripes call the game. I expect thunderous boos for Conor Garland, and that’s all part of the fun. The Oilers cannot get distracted by anything, and need the two points. A lot of hard work could be wasted with a poor end to January’s schedule.

PROCUREMENT

• Steve Tambellini: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
• Stu MacGregor: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Darnell Nurse, Leon Draisaitl
• Craig MacTavish: Darnell Nurse, Leon Draisaitl
• Bob Green: Connor McDavid, Evan Bouchard, Stuart Skinner
• Peter Chiarelli: Connor McDavid, Evan Bouchard, Stuart Skinner
• Ken Holland: Zach Hyman, Mattias Ekholm, Connor Brown, Brett Kulak, Corey Perry, Mattias Janmark, Adam Henrique, Troy Stecher, Derek Ryan, Drake Caggiula, Noah Philp, Calvin Pickard
• Jeff Jackson: Viktor Arvidsson, Jeff Skinner, Josh Brown
• Stan Bowman: Vasily Podkolzin, Ty Emberson, Kasperi Kapanen

If the Oilers win the Stanley Cup this season, you could call it Ken Holland’s team. Credit is a strange thing. Often a team succeeds at a high level when the people at the top are unconcerned with credit and focused on things that matter (Clare Drake, from Yorkton, SK, put it far better in words and in action).

I do think every man listed here from Steve Tambellini to Stan Bowman, will have a sense of pride at being involved in something very special (should it come to pass).

That said, I’d like to return to Draisaitl and his accomplishments since draft day. Part of his development could be described as “McDavid osmosis” and simply playing with and practicing against true greatness. Wayne Gretzky elevated Mark Messier and all of those Oilers back in the day, and I do think McDavid floats the current boats, too.

We can never let go of the individual who refines his game in search of perfection. Leon Draisaitl is such a man. Awesome talent, great intelligence, tremendous desire and a work ethic at the outer marker of the sport. That’s Leon Draisaitl.

A busy Lowdown today, we get rolling at noon on Sports 1440. Oilers v Canucks and the rage in the cage at Rogers Place tonight, the fact the Oilers need to be concerned with the two points in play, and NFL playoffs will be major discussion points. I’m at Lowetide on twitter, in the comments section here and on the Sports 1440 text line at 1.833.401.1440 directly. We can be heard at sports1440.ca; iHeartRadio, Radioplayer Canada, it’s available post-show on apple and spotify, and we tweet it out on X.